return

1130 the return of the king
not sound so ill, and Telcontar I will be and all the heirs of
my body.’
And with that they passed into the House; and as they
went towards the rooms where the sick were tended Gandalf
told of the deeds of Éowyn and Meriadoc. ‘For,’ he said,
‘long have I stood by them, and at first they spoke much in
their dreaming, before they sank into the deadly darkness.
Also it is given to me to see many things far off.’
Aragorn went first to Faramir, and then to the Lady
Éowyn, and last to Merry. When he had looked on the faces
of the sick and seen their hurts he sighed. ‘Here I must put
forth all such power and skill as is given to me,’ he said.
‘Would that Elrond were here, for he is the eldest of all our
race, and has the greater power.’
And Éomer seeing that he was both sorrowful and weary
said: ‘First you must rest, surely, and at the least eat a little?’
But Aragorn answered: ‘Nay, for these three, and most
soon for Faramir, time is running out. All speed is needed.’
Then he called to Ioreth and he said: ‘You have store in
this House of the herbs of healing?’
‘Yes, lord,’ she answered; ‘but not enough, I reckon, for
all that will need them. But I am sure I do not know where
we shall find more; for all things are amiss in these dreadful
days, what with fires and burnings, and the lads that run
errands so few, and all the roads blocked. Why, it is days out
of count since ever a carrier came in from Lossarnach to the
market! But we do our best in this House with what we have,
as I am sure your lordship will know.’
‘I will judge that when I see,’ said Aragorn. ‘One thing also
is short, time for speech. Have you athelas?’
‘I do not know, I am sure, lord,’ she answered, ‘at least not
by that name. I will go and ask of the herb-master; he knows
all the old names.’
‘It is also called kingsfoil,’ said Aragorn; ‘and maybe you
know it by that name, for so the country-folk call it in these
latter days.’
‘Oh that!’ said Ioreth. ‘Well, if your lordship had named it